


Wormholes and Forgotten Caverns

by Jormus



Category: Tales of Arcadia (Cartoons)
Genre: AUs, Abandonment, Betrayal, Dabbles, Dreams and Nightmares, Drowning, Fluff, Gen, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Paralysis, Short Stories, Tags will update as I add more short stories, oneshots, sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2020-07-12 11:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19945753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jormus/pseuds/Jormus
Summary: Another set of short stories and dabbles.The first chapter is an index please check there for genres and characters.Newest Story: "No Refuge in Dreams"Walter is reminded that he is not as free of Morgana as he had hoped.





	1. Index

**1\. Index**

**2\. Paralysis**

  * Summary: Barbara is paralyzed but conscious during Jim's fight with Nomura at their home.
  * Genres: Angst/Suspense
  * Characters: Barbara Lake, Jim Lake, Nomura
  * Warnings: Sleep paralysis



**3\. Betrayal**

  * Summary: The Tarron Siblings tell Stuart about Varvatos' betrayal.
  * Genres: Angst
  * Characters: Stuart, Aja Tarron, Krel Tarron
  * Written before 3below season 2 came out



**4\. Signs of Character**

  * Summary: Claire's Parents once again don't show up to her play, but to her surprise someone else does.
  * Genres: mild hurt/comfort, fluff
  * Characters: Claire Nuñez, Angor Rot
  * AU: Angor Rot survives Eternal Night and becomes Claire's mentor.



**5\. These Violent Delights**

  * Summary: Romeo and Juliet was never meant to have a happy ending.
  * Genres: Tragedy, Drama
  * Characters: Lenora Janeth, Claire Nuñez, Jim Lake Jr
  * **Warning: Major Character Death**
  * Trollhunters Season 1 AU



**6\. Pixie Dust**

  * Summary: AU of the Episode "Where is My Mind?" in which Toby has a slightly different nightmare.
  * Genres: Angst
  * Characters: Toby
  * Warnings:abandonment and character death (hallucinations)



**7\. No Refuge in Dreams**

  * Summary: Walter is reminded that he is not as free of Morgana as he had hoped.
  * Genres: Angst, horror
  * Characters: Walter Strickler, Morgana



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to create this as a sort of companion piece to Pebbles and Stardust. I will be putting each short story or dabble in whichever one seems more appropriate. This collection will tend toward the more serious side.


	2. Paralysis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara is paralyzed but conscious during Jim's fight with Nomura at their home.  
> (Takes place during Trollhunters Season 1 Episode 6: Win, Lose or Draal.)

“…You better leave _now_ or else we’ll both be sorry,” Jim finished, slamming his hands down on the table beside her and glaring at Ms. Nomura.

Barbara was shocked. She’d never seen him behave that way. Jim had always been one of the sweetest, kindest teens she knew and that wasn’t just her bias as his Mom speaking.

“Jim! She’s our _guest_ ,” Barbara, started. A wave of wooziness hit her. “What’s gotten into you?”

She barely managed to finish before she collapsed onto the table.

“Mom!” She heard Jim call her, but she couldn’t respond.

Her body felt so heavy and numb. Her mind was flickering on the edge of sleep and wakefulness.

“That speech was very moving,” Ms. Nomura was saying. “Too bad she won’t remember it when she wakes up and finds your body.”

_What?!!_

Fear pulled her back from the edge of unconsciousness, but she still couldn’t move. For a moment she vividly remembered Nomura asking if she could make the tea. She had stated that she was a bit particular so Barbara, aware of her rather questionable skills regarding food and drink, had allowed her.

 _She must have drugged me,_ Barbara realized in horror.

There was a pause then the sound of quick steps. Jim cried out and there was a thud from the kitchen. He made a grunt that sounded painful.

“Looking for these?” Ms. Numura’s tone was taunting. Was her voice lower?

Metal clanged against metal. Barbara tried to get up again. She had to protect her son. But she couldn’t move. All she could do was listen as the person _she’d_ let into their house tried to kill her son.

The scuffle continued, passing by her toward the stairs.

There was a strange sound like a microwave dinging and a thud then things quieted. Jim’s footsteps sounded going up the stairs and a door closed.

Something skittered up the stairs after him. It had to be Nomura, but… but it hadn’t sounded human.

Barbara struggled with all her will, desperate, but her body remained inert.

 _Oh God_ , Barbara thought, fear truly setting in. _I’m going to be too late._

By the time this wore off Jim would be dead and she’d find his body. Her mind conjured up horrific images based on what she’d seen over the course of her career. There were times she really hated being a doctor.

A haunting whistled melody reached her ears. A door slammed open. The melody cut off.

“You can’t hide forever,” Ms. Nomura said, sending shivers down her spine. “Trust me I’d know.”

A door knob rattled.

There was a loud bang followed by a roar and Ms. Nomura’s yells. Something large passed Barbara by and the fight continued in the yard. Someone new was talking, but she couldn’t hear what was being said.

Where was Jim?

Another roar and the fight continued for a few more minutes before quieting abruptly.

Barbara waited a tense second before she heard Jim’s voice. If she could have moved she would have wept in relief.

The newcomer entered the house. His heavy footsteps followed by Jim’s softer ones. They stopped beside her.

“I am,” The stranger said voice low and rumbling. He paused to sniff something loudly.

She finally managed to open her eyes just in time to see a large blue finger flip her teacup off the table. It hit the floor with a crash.

“But you,” He continued, presumably talking to Jim. “Your battles won’t always be waged in arenas.”

_What battles?_

“You won’t have time to prepare, to study your opponent for weaknesses like you did me.”

_What?_

“You are the Trollhunter. It is time to start being afraid.”

The stranger sighed.

“Since I cannot go back to Trollmarket, I will guard your home.”

“Uh, I don’t think my mother would be down for that,” Jim said.

Jim approached and took off her glasses. He must not have looked at her face or he would have noticed her eyes were open.

His and the stranger’s footsteps faded down the stairs, she could just faintly hear them talking.

She tried to move again and her fingers twitched this time.

She focused on moving them, while she tried to process what just happened.

Jim had been acting strange lately. The museum break in. The missed classes. The late nights. The bruises.

Yes. She had noticed those.

She had thought it was some sort of a teenaged rebellion. All the parents at work talked like it was a normal thing.

But this wasn’t.

Teenaged rebellions didn’t result in museum curators showing up at the house with murderous intent. They didn’t involve whatever the stranger who was now in their house was.

She managed to turn her head a little and move her hand.

The stranger had called Jim “Trollhunter”. It sounded like some sort of a title. Just _what_ had her son gotten himself into?

Slowly she struggled to get up. Her whole body felt tingly now. She hoped there wouldn’t be any lasting effects.

“Mom!”

Barbara turned just in time to see Jim drop his broom. He rushed to her side, hands going to her back and shoulders to steady her and ease her into an upright position.

“Are you okay? How do you feel?”

His eyes were darting across her face. He looked relieved, but worried.

“I should be asking you that,” She murmured weakly.

His eyes widened and his breath quickened.

“W-What do you mean?”

He was scared. Scared of her knowing what was going on. She was scared too.

“I heard what happened. The fight with Ms. Nomura. Whoever that was who’s in our basement now calling you… ‘Trollhunter’,” She struggled to straighten in her chair and raised a weak hand to his cheek. “Please Jim, tell me what is going on.”

Jim’s brow’s furrowed painfully and he leaned into her touch. She could see him wavering.

“ _Please.”_ She repeated. She tried to put all the desperation that she had felt in the past minutes into her voice.

She _needed_ to know. Barbara couldn’t bear it if something happened to Jim. She couldn’t stand the thought of him out there fighting alone. He was her son and she loved him.

He looked into her eyes and his breath hitched. His soft blue eyes glistened with tears.

“Okay,” He whispered, bringing his hand up to hers. “But let’s get you comfortable first. It’s a long story.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anesthesia, and I assume other methods of putting people to sleep, tend to be pretty particular. People also have different reactions to drugs. So I figured it would have been interesting to explore what would have happened had Barbara remembered the whole thing.
> 
> Also... How was Jim planning to follow up on threatening Nomura in front of his Mom? The boy has no subtlety.


	3. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tarron Siblings tell Stuart about Varvatos' betrayal. 
> 
> (Written before 3below season 2 came out)

“He… He _what?_ ” Stuart couldn’t quite believe his ears.

He had heard Aja call him that, back when they were trying to get back the Mothership, but there was no way that Varvatos was the traitor. Not after everything he had done to protect Aja and Krel. Not after sacrificing himself… Not after becoming Stu’s friend.

Aja looked away.

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. He admitted to it himself. _Varvatos_ was the one who let down the shield during the corination. He made a deal with Morando.”

“But…”

One look into Aja’s eyes… One look at the way Krel’s brows furrowed as he curled in on himself… And he knew it was true. Stuart slowly sank down the wall he was leaning against.

“But why?” He whispered, pressing a hand against his forehead.

His core panged painfully in his chest. Was this how Buster had felt? Back when he thought Stu had abandoned him.

“He said it was for revenge,” Krel said, finally speaking up. “Morando had promised to help him get revenge on the Ziron Brotherhood.”

And he had gotten that, hadn’t he?

“ _That_ was his ‘legitimate’ reason?” Stu said with an incredulous laugh.

He pressed his hands to eyes and clenched his teeth, trying not to cry. Despite his best efforts he could feel his shoulders start to shake. Krel and Aja’s concerned voices fell on deaf ears.

For a moment, just one micron, he felt like he was back in his cell in Area 49-B.

How had he been so blind?


	4. Signs of Character

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire's Parents once again don't show up to her play, but to her surprise someone else does.  
> (AU: Angor Rot lives)

Claire wished she had a flip phone so she could harshly snap it closed; as it was she had to settle for aggressively shoving the cellphone into her bag.

It wasn’t that she had very high expectations (she had learned early on to set them low) but she had thought that they would make the effort to make just one night… even just the first act… Was that too much to ask?

Jim had borrowed Strickler’s glamor mask and come to every single night. The only reason he wasn’t here now was an inescapable Trollhunting call. He had still dropped by to bring her flowers before leaving. (She was going to need more vases.) Toby had showed up yesterday and cheered so loudly at the end of the performance that several people had glared at him. Blinky had made it to opening night and watched from the rafters and then had shown up a second time with Aaarrrgghh to watch from behind a curtain backstage. Even the ever busy Dr. Lake had made an appearance.

Claire sighed and peered through the curtain. It was closing night. They had almost a full house and none of her friends could make it. She hadn’t been too bothered by that because her parents had promised to come… but then they had bailed on her… again.

She tried not to read too much into it. Her Mom’s job kept her busy, her Dad as well. They had Enrique to take care of. On top of all of that they were helping Barbara find homes for the Familiars. Of course they didn’t have time to make some _stupid_ play…

Claire’s fingers curled into the curtains, clenching until her knuckles turned white. She grit her teeth and swiped at her eyes. This was nothing. She was used to it. She was stronger than this. It was _just_ a play, after all. Not some big, life-changing event. She drew in a deep breath and started to let go of the curtain.

Movement drew her gaze to the back of the darkened auditorium. As she watched a tall African man began to work his way through the back row, glaring in annoyance until he found a seat next to the fire exit. He was dressed in a loose, but appealing, patterned brown robe with dark trousers that looked rather out of place among the standard styles of New Jersey. His long greying hair was done up in tight braids and pulled back into a low pony tail and, most arrestingly of all, he only had one eye. It was an unusual golden-brown.

Claire frowned as she searched his face. He felt familiar.

She jolted when he made eye-contact with her. They stared at each other for a moment, across the distance of the stage and audience, before the corner of his lips curved upward into a smirk. He held out his hand, palm upward and fingers clawed. Claire’s brows drew together in puzzlement. Purple magic, a shade darker than hers, sparked between his fingers and his eye glowed yellow for a second.

No. Way.

“It’s time Claire.” One of her crewmates tugged at her shoulder.

She released the curtain and scrambled into position, her mind still churning. There was no way that was Angor Rot and yet… She’d recognize that magic anywhere. Also that eye.

What was he doing here? And how did he look human?

Claire made it through the first part of the play without incident… but only barely. The moment the curtain went down and intermission was announced, she was scrambling off the stage in search of the mysterious visitor.

He wasn’t in his seat, or anywhere in the audience for that matter. Claire let out a groan of frustration but quickly pasted on a smile as various theater-goers approached to talk or ask for photos.

Finally, just as the intermission was nearing its end, she slipped out of the crowd and into the hallway. Disappointment gnawed at her insides. Had she just imagined him? Had she been that desperate for affirmation?

A _very_ familiar chuckle brought her back to the present. Claire dodged to the side, pulling her own dagger out of her skirts to deflect the blow. She pushed the weapon away and jumped backward, putting distance between herself and her assailant so she could get a look at them.

“Very good.” Claire froze at the voice. “You appeared distracted so I chose to test your awareness. You are learning well.”

The man from the audience stepped out of the nook he had been hiding in and faced her. To the casual onlooker he seemed loose and relaxed but Claire knew better.

“W-what?” She sputtered. “How?... _Why?”_

Angor Rot smirked and indicated with a hand at his body.

“This is just an illusion… I believe we went over those?”

“Yes,” Claire said, relaxing just slightly now she was sure he was done testing her. “But why haven’t you… If you could do this then….”

“Why didn’t I use it before?”

Claire nodded.

Angor sheathed his knife and folded his arms behind his back.

“As convincing as this is, an illusion is just an illusion. It would not have protected me from sunlight. I could not have used it in conjunction with the shadow staff either. The magic drain would have been too much given both spells are shadow magic.”

Claire nodded, mentally jotting the information down. They had discussed energy drain and its relationship to types of a magic a few weeks ago.

“Besides, this does not have quite the intimidation factor of my true form.”

“You still haven’t said _why_ you’re here.” Claire crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “I assume you didn’t just show up to attack me in a dark hallway.”

 ** _“Five minutes until the end of intermission,”_** A voice announced over the PA system. **_“Please return to your seats.”_**

Claire didn’t move, watching Angor Rot intently. He returned her stare, eye half lidded before letting out a quiet grunt and looking away.

“This is important to you, isn’t it?”

Claire blinked.

“Yes but…”

“You are my student,” Angor continued. “You have put as great an effort into this as any hunter ever did pursuing their prey; it is only natural that I should come to observe your triumph.”

Claire froze, eyes wide, her words failing her.

“Besides this… _Play_ … has been no trial to watch. The story is… strange… but you and your fleshbag companions are worthy performers. I anticipate the conclusion.”

Angor strode past Claire back toward the auditorium. On the way by, just for a second, he grasped her shoulder.

_“Well done.”_

The words were so faint Claire almost thought she had imagined them.

She turned and stared at where he had been for a minute. A smile slowly formed across her face. It remained there as she hurried back toward the stage.


	5. These Violent Delights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo and Juliet was never meant to have a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: Major Character Death**

In retrospect the fact that Ms. Janeth kept talking about plot twists might have been foreshadowing. But the thing about good foreshadowing is one never notices it until it’s too late. And _that_ was the case for Jim.

Bular was defeated and the bridge was soon to be safely in Trollmarket. Jim was far more relaxed than he had been in a long time, if a bit sore. With Claire acting across from him, the part of Romeo, of young love born in bad circumstances, was easy to portray.

“I will kiss thy lips,” Claire said in a soft wavering voice.

Despite his best efforts a smile formed on Jim’s lips as Claire gently pressed hers to them. For once everything was right.

“Thy lips are warm! Then, I'll be brief.” There was a soft rasp of metal as Claire drew out the prop dagger. “O happy dagger! This is thy sheath.”

Claire let out a gasp and collapsed carefully against him.

“There rust and let me die…”

Above them the stage lights gave way with a mighty shriek of metal. The audience screamed. Reflexes honed by months of fighting, Jim was on his feet in a second and trying to shove Claire to safety.

Unfortunately sometimes a second was too long.

* * *

Jim coughed weakly and struggled to open his eyes. His vision flickered. He was aware of heat and pain. Sluggishly he struggled to sit up but couldn’t, something was holding him down. He craned his neck to see what it was.

The blackened metal of the light fixture was holding him down. Distantly he realized that one of the struts was actually going _through_ him. Blood was leaking quickly from the injury and staining the white lilies that lay scattered across the smoldering wreckage of the stage.

Jim’s head was starting to droop down, strength leaving him, when he saw her. Claire lay just to his right. She wasn’t pinned like he was but she wasn’t moving either. The flames where flickering closer and closer to her still form.

_*No!*_

The word didn’t make it past his lips. He coughed up blood instead. Still he wouldn’t let her die. His hand crept toward the amulet. Slowly, weakly, his fingers closed around it.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that, Mr. Lake.”

The amulet was jerked out of his hand. Shock pulsing through him, Jim gathered the last of his strength and looked up.

Ms. Janeth stood above him silhouetted by the flames. Her eyes glowed red and yellow as she spared a glance at the amulet in her hand before her gaze returned to him.

“Don’t you know?” She said gently. “Romeo dies in this.”

Jim tried to speak. Tried to give voice to his betrayal but he had no words left. He sagged limply to the ground light fading from his eyes.

* * *

Lenora Janeth watched from the hill above Arcadia as the firefighters finally managed to put out the blaze that had engulfed the school. The amulet was safely stored in a box calling out for a bearer it would never reach. The bridge was in Trollmarket but with Queen Usurna’s help that would be of little importance. Let the fools have their last days of rest.

With a flash of silver she cast aside her human guise and smiled, all sharp teeth and long held hunger. Oh how she loved a good ending!

Lenora held a hand out toward rising sun and recited:

“A glooming peace this morning with it brings.

Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things.

For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a random idea I had: What if Ms. Janeth was a changeling? I suspect it was spawned by gravesand episode.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought.


	6. Pixie Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU of the Episode "Where is My Mind?" in which Toby has a slightly different nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for abandonment and character death (all imagined but it’s real to Toby.)

Toby settled on the desk waiting for the weird glowing bug thing to do something.

“Any moment now,” He said awkwardly after a long pause.

Nothing happened. Another moment ticked by and Jim let out a sigh and turned away, pulling out his phone.

“I don’t have time for this,” Jim said tapping in a number.

“But you need to study m…”

Jim shushed him as he held the phone to his ear.

“Claire?” He asked after the person on the other end picked up.

Toby perked up. Good idea. If anyone could figure this out it was Claire!

“… Yeah meet me in the cafeteria,” Jim finished before slipping his phone in his pocket and then turning toward the door.

Toby got up to follow him but Jim held up his hand to stop him.

“Stay here,” He said sharply as he pulled out his amulet. “Claire and I will take care of this.”

“But…”

“Stay. You’ll just get in the way.”

Toby stood there frozen as his friend left him. The door closed and there was a flash of blue through the glass. The clock slowly ticked away the time as Toby stared blankly trying to register what had happened. Had Jim really just left him? Was he really that much of a burden?

There was a distant roar and Toby shook himself out of his stupor. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth before shoving open the office door. Burden or not, he had to help.

He ran toward the cafeteria full tilt and skidded through the doors.

There! Jim was locked in combat with Angor Rot. The sigil on his face glowed an angry yellow.

“Jim!”

At Toby’s shout Jim glanced in his direction and, during that split second of distraction, Angor Rot lunged forward driving Daylight into his ribs.

“NO!”

Jim went limp, his glaives falling out of his hand as his blood began to stain the white floor. Toby couldn’t move. His friend was dying and he couldn’t do a thing about it.

The amulet rolled across the floor coming to a stop at his feet. Numb with shock, Toby reached for it but it was snatched away. He found himself staring into Claire’s angry tearstained face. (When had she gotten here?)

“Haven’t you caused enough trouble? It’s your fault that Jim’s dead,” She snarled before she donned the armor and charged into battle against Angor Rot.

Toby tried to follow her but his hammer was too heavy. (When had he pulled it out?)

“Why would you choose a weapon you can’t even lift?”

Toby turned to see Blinky looking at him in disgust. (He wasn’t supposed to be here. They were at school. It was daytime…)

“Foolish,” He said shaking his head.

“But I…” Toby shrank in on himself.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Aaarrrgghh’s disappointed face.

“Leave,” the troll rumbled. “Bad wingman.”

“But…”

Aaarrrgghh turned and followed Blinky as the scholarly troll ran to help Claire.

Toby tried to follow but the battle kept getting farther and farther away. Soon he couldn’t see them anymore.

“Jim? Claire?”

There was no response.

“Aaarrrgghh? Blinky?… Anyone?”

Toby was alone.

They had all left him.

This was all his fault. Why did he have to be so worthless?

Toby slowly sank to the ground and cried.

_Something slammed into him throwing him to the ground._

Toby blinked in puzzlement. Where had all these people come from? And why where they acting so…

A glowing yellow blur shot by his face.

The bug!

On reflex Toby swatted it into the wall. It squished easily, staining his fingers yellow. He stared at the mush heart racing.

It wasn’t real! It was all just one big hallucination! He felt almost giddy with relief.

Of course it wasn’t real! Jim wouldn’t leave him like that…

“Jim!”

Toby scrambled to his feet. He had to find Claire and Jim before Angor got to them.

He shoved the nebulous sense of unease to the back of his mind and started searching for his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, So I _technically_ didn't kill Jim...
> 
> Elizabethemerald on Tumblr commented on the wasted potential of Toby's nightmare so I just had to remedy that.


	7. No Refuge in Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walter is reminded that he is not as free of Morgana as he had hoped.
> 
> (Takes place post-Trollhunters.)

Walter Stricklander stood at the edge of a pool.

The air was still, in this wooded clearing, but somehow not stale. He had a strange awareness that, while he knew he was dreaming, this was somehow very real. He took a step forward and his clawed green feet sunk into the thick moss but left no tracks.

He lowered himself to peer into the pool. A very familiar human face stared back. He drew in a shaky breath. He hadn’t been able to shift since the eternal night. He would be lying if he claimed that he didn’t long for it. Slowly he reached out and touched the water.

The moment he did so he knew it was a mistake. Ripples spread from the point of contact. Walter tried to draw his hand back but the water clung to it; instead he found himself being pulled forward.

He plunged into the water and desperately struggled to fight his way to the surface. He kept sinking, pulled down by some unseen current. Eventually he could no longer hold his breath and gasped in the dark water. It burned in his lungs and he tried to cough it out but there was nothing to replace it with.

As his struggles grew weaker and the last ray of light faded from the surface, he felt a familiar warmth wrap around him. He tried to pull away, but he was weak and the seemingly gentle embrace was as solid as a cage of iron.

His struggles finally faded to naught.

“It’s no use child,” _HER_ voice murmured in his ear. She caressed his cheek in a way that was uncomfortably familiar. “You may choose to denounce me. You may run and pretend all you want, but in the end _I_ made you and you are _mine._ ”

He was released and suddenly he was drowning once again.

“It is best you give up soon,” She said as She left him to his fate. “I grow tired of waiting.”

* * *

Walter shot upright in his bed with a scream. He scrambled up and darted into the bathroom. He made it to the mirror just in time to see the yellow light fading from his eyes.

His claws made a grating sound on the marble counter top as his hands clenched into fists.

He had known it wouldn’t be that easy.

He wondered how long he would be able to hold out for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tagging this as complete because it technically always is.


End file.
